Military or SuperLeaf ?

I prefer the ergos (the best I've ever felt on a folder) and comp lock of the Super Leaf. The knife has to be held to be appreciated, it is one beefy, comfortable, extremely strong knife. The cutting edge is a bit short for it's size, but the ergos and choil allow for good control. The tip is fairly stout for a full flat grind, but it does seem to pirce pretty good. Since I got this knife last week I have been extremely impressed with it as a HD cutter with tremendous ergonomics.

The Military is just a great knife, and there is a reason why it is one of Spyderco's classic designs. The ergos are very good, the blade is strong yet a very good slicer, the liner lock is about as good as a liner lock gets (though I'm not a huge fan of liner locks), and the knife is very versatile. The tip of the knife is very fine for extremely good piercing and controlled cuts, but if you use your knife as a pry bar it will probably break off. The Millie is very light for it's size and strength. If I was to have only one Spyderco it would probably be a Military.

I hope this helps some, but my answer would always be buy both. I have several Millies in different steels and I carry them a lot (my favorites are my two G-10/Ti CPM M4 models). My Super Leaf is riding in my left front pocket right now and I have a feeling it will stay there for a long time as my go to HD cutter. My Manix (the original) has been my go to HD cutter up until now, but amazingly I like the Super Leaf more due to the ergos, lighter weight, and the comp lock. You really can't go wrong with either knife.

Mike
 
I'd personally go with the Military, it's a must-have. Although I haven't tried the Superleaf, I probably will eventually get one this year.

For the Manix 2, I'd shop around and see if you can get a CTS-XHP sprint with a full flat grind. It's maybe $25 more and it's WELL worth it. Or any of the FFG sprints, if you can find them on ebay. They are also significantly lighter than the standard production Manix 2's, due to heavily skeletonized liners.
 
thanks for the replys! im glad you said about the liner lock on the Mili GUNMIKE1 i was worried in the pics online it looked alittle thin. Iv never owned a Compression lock so i have been wtaching some you tube vids about it

man this is hard i may have to bite the bullet and get both... i need a better paying job:D
 
I love the bladeshape of the superleaf over the millie...
But the end of the superleafs handle that puts me of.... my choice would be millie just because of that.
 
knoefz said:
I love the bladeshape of the superleaf over the millie...
But the end of the superleafs handle that puts me of.... my choice would be millie just because of that.
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I know the Super Leaf's handle butt may look ugly, but in hand it is great for me, as I said earlier it is the best feeling handle I've ever experienced in a folder. It also makes an ergonomically perfect thumb rest in a reverse grip. If you have huge hands (mine are fairly large but not nearly as big as Yablanowitz's hands, his hands are grizzly sized) that rear end on the handle may make the handle too small, but I'd say 95% or more of the population won't have any issues. As for the blade shape, it allows for excellent strength, tip included, yet the full flat grind tapers to a decently thin cutting edge so it slices much better than most heavy duty blades that I have tried, especially non Spydercos.

The Millies handle is great for all hand sizes, allowing for a huge variety of grip options that all feel very good to excellent, bare hand or gloved, grizzly paws or not. The liner lock is quite strong and superbly reliable. I remember reading it is the same strength as the Ti/RIL Millie, which shows just how strong a properly engineered liner lock can be despite the appearance leading some to think it isn't very strong. The total package of the Millie is incredible and I can't see myself ever being without one. I bet one of my CPM M4 Millies would be my only knife if I could have only one folder.

It's a tough choice picking between the 2 knives, but I must say the Millie would be almost impossible to go wrong with as it probably fits most anyone on earth and is a great cutting knife. The Super Leaf probably won't out cut the Millie but I feel it's ergos are just tremendous and I much prefer the comp lock (and the Super Leaf is VERY smooth) and it will probably handle harder cutting tasks than the Millie with less worry about the tip snapping and no worries about accidentally disengaging the lock (though to me the tip strength isn't much of a factor as I love pointy tips, and I've never come close to disengaging the liner lock of the Millie). I think however the Super Leaf can't really be appreciated until you put it in your hand and feel the amazing ergos and security of the handle. When I cut with it it is so secure I wouldn't mind at all if it had no jumping (like it's Superhawk brother is) as my hand feels secure no matter what grip I put it in, and the wire clip doesn't bite into your hand at all under heavy cuts into wood (though it moves around a tad under your hand). I find myself handling the Super Leaf as I watch TV, marveling in it's comp lock's smoothness and the great feeling in the hand no matter what grip I try. It is one of those knives that you really have to hold and use to get just how good it really is. The Millie will work for more people than the Super Leaf, and it is probably the most iconic Spyderco for great reason. It is really hard to find someone that has extensively used a Millie that doesn't really like it's great performance. The Millie also will appeal to more people, fit almost anyone's hand really nicely, and if you are one of the very few that doesn't quite like it you will be able to sell it quickly. But for me the Super Leaf just has something going for it that makes it really hard to put down, and I bet a good percentage of the people that actually put one through it's paces with really like it as well.

Mike
 
i am torn between the same two but i have handled a mil so i think i want to get the superleaf first cant wait to get one
 
I can't get past the big choil/short cutting edge on the Superleaf.
 
AF said:
I can't get past the big choil/short cutting edge on the Superleaf.
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Its about the same as a Manix II just a bit beefier

IMAG0027.jpg


IMAG0005.jpg
 
To my mind the Superleaf suffers from the same problem as the SMF/SNG. Too much handle, not enough blade (or rather, enough edge). Although the Millie has a large handle, the blade is plenty large too. :)

Also, between VG-10 and S30V I would choose the latter.

Price wise they seem to be the same, so I would have to say Military.

Actually, Military is the answer to most questions around here. :D
 
Anyone who hasn't held, carried or used a SuperLeaf is doing themselves a disservice. I am the first person to call the Military one of Spyderco's finest efforts and in the top 10 list of best production folders today but I have become a huge SuperLeaf proponent now that I have held one, inspected it and carried it.

The SuperLeaf, plain and simple, is the biggest surprise blade out of Spyderco "for me" in a very long time. I can't remember the last time I bought just one new Spyderco where I instantly stashed the box and put the knife immediately in my rotation.

I had no idea I would like this knife as much as I do. And trust me when I say the handle design is spot on as far as function goes. You can argue all day about minor design elements and the materials used in a knife but all that aside, the SuperLeaf is one of Spyderco's finest EDC offerings in a very long time, IMHO.

When I inspect it and handle it, the first thing that comes to mind to me, is that if the SuperLeaf were made in the USA, this would be the real original Manix replacement but on a diet.

I'm with Gunmike1 on this subject.

The SuperLeaf is a hell of a good knife and no one should write it off until they have a chance to handle one.

Believe it or not, the SuperLeaf takes top honors for the SMOOTHEST action on any knife I have ever opened in my life. I didn't think any knife would surpass the Jim Burke Pro Rockstar in that category but it has. I'm shocked at how easily it opens and closes with zero side to side blade play.

Spyderco hit a big time homer with the SuperLeaf IMHO and as far as the SuperLeaf I have personally, it looks like Seki City even stepped up their F&F. It's almost approaching the Spyderco Taiwanese MFG in overall quality of build.

Simply put, I'm not sure I can be anymore satisfied with a new knife than I am with the SuperLeaf. It instantly fell right into the same category as a couple other new offerings from some of Sal's competitors.

I know the SuperLeaf is a Seki City knife but if this thing were offered up in S90V with CF scales I'm not sure one could fine a better EDC anywhere. For about $130 street, this knife rocks, pure and simple. All IMHO of course ;)
 
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Reeek said:
Anyone who hasn't held, carried or used a SuperLeaf is doing themselves a disservice. I am the first person to call the Military one of Spyderco's finest efforts and in the top 10 list of best production folders today but I have become a huge SuperLeaf proponent now that I have held one, inspected it and carried it.

The SuperLeaf, plain and simple, is the biggest surprise blade out of Spyderco "for me" in a very long time. I can't remember the last time I bought just one new Spyderco where I instantly stashed the box and put the knife immediately in my rotation.

I had no idea I would like this knife as much as I do. And trust me when I say the handle design is spot on as far as function goes. You can argue all day about minor design elements and the materials used in a knife but all that aside, the SuperLeaf is one of Spyderco's finest EDC offerings in a very long time, IMHO.

When I inspect it and handle it, the first thing that comes to mind to me, is that if the SuperLeaf were made in the USA, this would be the real original Manix replacement but on a diet.

I'm with Gunmike1 on this subject.

The SuperLeaf is a hell of a good knife and no one should write it off until they have a chance to handle one.

Believe it or not, the SuperLeaf takes top honors for the SMOOTHEST action on any knife I have ever opened in my life. I didn't think any knife would surpass the Jim Burke Pro Rockstar in that category but it has. I'm shocked at how easily it opens and closes with zero side to side blade play.

Spyderco hit a big time homer with the SuperLeaf IMHO and as far as the SuperLeaf I have personally, it looks like Seki City even stepped up their F&F. It's almost approaching the Spyderco Taiwanese MFG in overall quality of build.

Simply put, I'm not sure I can be anymore satisfied with a new knife than I am with the SuperLeaf. It instantly fell right into the same category as a couple other new offerings from some of Sal's competitors.

I know the SuperLeaf is a Seki City knife but if this thing were offered up in S90V with CF scales I'm not sure one could fine a better EDC anywhere. For about $130 street, this knife rocks, pure and simple. All IMHO of course ;)
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I agree with all of it.
 
Oh man, just as I had my mind made up about saving up for a millie...
now you have me guys looking for a shop around here that has one I can try out ...
thanks a lot! lol ;)

Maybe Sal brings one to the Amsterdam Spyderco meeting next month....
 
I pulled the trigger on a Superleaf from knifeworks, i couldnt wait for taxes, you guys sold me on it lol thank you for all your input i will post some pics when it gets here:D
 
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